Long Long Road Ahead - G40

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2012-01-28 10:42 · Nanyang

G40 is the code for Shanghai - Shaanxi National Expressway. It starts from Shanghai and run about 1500 km and goes from about 31.23°N, 121.5°E to 34.27°N, 108.9°E. That is almost one time zone difference (15 degree).

It is pretty handy to get back to Wendy’s home town Nanyang from Shanghai. Along the way, we started from G42 and went across G15 and G2 in Shanghai, G25 and G3 in Nanjing, G35 in the middle of no where and G45 near east of Xinyang, G4 at Xinyang and finally G55 in Nanyang. That is basically the traverse of the China National Highway System.

This shows the benefit of consistent naming convention. You just need to follow on route to get to somewhere far away. Just keep driving and driving.

It also replace the original G312, just as I-40 replaced US66, the story Cars was telling. We have the same feeling. The exit to G313 was everywhere along the road. G312 goes right across the towns while G40 just bypass them.

3 Comments

I can only guess how much the toll fees would co$t to cover 1500km expressway... but at least in a 4 wheeled vehicle you have a choice (expressway versus highway or local roads), not so with the discrimination against motorcycles. While I appreciate the share numbers of small 125-150cc and maybe even some of the lesser 250cc moto's, and how this might play out on expressways when combined with all manner of other vehicle types etc, but the discrimination applies across all motorcycle regardless of engine displacement. Added to that is the banning of motorcycles from many cities and or roadways either completely or different time periods. That's to say nothing of the excesses inherent and becoming ever increasingly apparent inside the kingd00m of China.

To get from say, Shanghai to Ningbo via expressway is 3 hours plus or minus. Can't do that if I want to ride my motorcycle. I've to take the longer "coat-hanger" option (misnomer because it's not even an option) going through Hangzhou which takes a realistic 8 hours. So much for infrastructure development.

China the land of discrimination, capitalism, racism and hypocrisy (and a few other things with negative connotations besides).

— DD · 2012-01-28 13:14

Many cities ban or restrict motorbikes in China. Mentioned Ningbo, well motorbikes banned completely from there. Many other cities also banned motorbikes. Maybe some people don't care, as too much apathy here. But if start to ban motorbikes then maybe next the ban will be others like, white car, yellow car, black car haha then what that will mean. After a time maybe ban this model car or that model car, so where it will end. Wake up China. When your leaders want to make more equal rules on using electric bicycles and scooters, the howls of protest. But what for these protests? To keep the status quo when really rules on the use of those electric bicycles and scooters must change and now. It's ridiculous how those riders don't have to accept any responsibility their actions or suffer any consequences. What a smart place!

— Deno · 2012-01-28 13:24

Absolutely need changes to the rules about e-bikes and e-scooters IMO. Now riders of these don't have to accept any responsibility for their actions. If they're involved in any accident, no matter it's their fault or not they either they are absolved of any or most of the responsibility. They don't have to have any driving license or any form of insurance. What a foolish system.

— JuleZinChina · 2012-01-28 13:42